coast

TV coverage is on the BBC Scotland channel from 19:15 BST, with the match also available on iPlayer.

Jonathan Sutherland is your host, with Rachel Corsie and Charlie Adam providing analysis, while commentary comes from Liam McLeod and a third former Scotland international, James McFadden.

Sportsound will also be on BBC Radio Scotland from 18:00 BST. Andy Burke is presenting, with former Scotland players Willie Miller and Leanne Crichton, plus BBC Scotland’s chief sports writer Tom English, in the studio.

Alasdair Lamont and former Scotland midfielder Stuart McCall are on radio commentary duty.

As ever, you can follow everything on the BBC Sport website and app, including text updates on the action, in-play clips, and have your say as it happens.

EACH year around 1.4million Brits head to Portugal’s Algarve – so why not explore a quieter Portuguese gem that is cheaper?

Portugal’s Silver Coast – also known as Costa de Prata – stretches for 155 miles from central to western Portugal.

And it offers several different holiday types.

Think dramatic landscapes to be explored, beaches to sunbathe on and historic towns to investigate.

Spanning from north of Lisbon to near Porto, the Silver Coast tends to be less crowded than the Algarve.

One spot you can head to is Nazare, known for having the world’s biggest surfable waves.

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The old fishing town features a long, crescent shaped beach with white sand and crystal clear water.

And this is one of the spots in the town where you will find surfers tackling huge waves.

In fact, it is the Nazaré Canyon that is the largest underwater canyon in Europe, that produces the town’s colossal waves.

Away from the water, the town also has a lot of narrow streets to explore with cosy restaurants serving fresh seafood.

For example, you could head to Restaurante Maria do Mar, which is the best-rated restaurant on TripAdvisor in the area, serving ‘Maria do Mar’ fish stew for just €9.50 (£8.20).

Surfers should also head to Ericeira, which is another popular surf town.

It is widely known as the ‘surfing capital of Europe‘ and is home to one of only two World Surfing Reserves in Europe.

If you are not a surfer, then simply enjoy the town’s beautiful beaches such as Praia dos Pescadores (Fisherman’s Beach) or Praia do Norte.

There’s also Obidos, which has a charming, medieval walled town.

In the picturesque town you can walk through Moorish gates and see colourful houses covered in bright pink flowers in summer.

The medieval walls encircle the entire village, which you can explore.

There’s even a spot that is dubbed the ‘Venice of Portugal’ – Aveiro.

The nickname comes from the colourful boats that sail down canals in the town.

Originally, the boats – called moliceiros – were used to carry seaweed that had been harvested, but now they offer tours to visitors along the canals and past Art Nouveau buildings.

In the Old Town, you’ll find cobblestone streets with small fish and coastal images embedded into the cobbles.

Make sure to visit Ponte dos Laços de Amizade (Bridge of Friendship Ties) where couples tie ribbons on to the bridge.

And definitely grab some Ovos Moles which are sweets from the area.

They are egg yolk and sugar mixed together and then moulded into different shapes, like seashells.

Drop by Confeitaria Peixinho, the oldest Ovos Moles shop in Aveiro, which has been running since 1856 – each Ovos Mole costs about €1.60 (£1.38).

Nearby Aveiro there is another spot worth visiting called Costa Nova.

Here you will find rows upon rows of colourful striped beach cottages.

Elsewhere along the Silver Coast, you can visit the coastal village of Foz do Arelho and two beaches created by a saltwater lagoon.

Both feature white sand and are the ideal places to go paddleboarding.

If you want to grab a bite to eat, there are plenty of cafes and restaurants along the promenade.

Several of the pubs and bars along the Silver Coast sell beers for €1.25 (£1.08), like at Marcianus 3.0 in Foz do Arelho, where you can pick up a bottle of Imperial beer for this price.

Depending on where you wish to go on the Silver Coast, you can fly into either Lisbon or Porto Airports.

One-way flights from the UK to Lisbon or Porto cost as little as £15 per person in April.

Also, depending on where you want to visit, there are a number of different accommodation options.

The average cost for a night in a four-star hotel in the region costs between £65 and £80.

For more places to explore in Portugal, there’s a secret side to the country that has just been crowned one of the best places in Europe to visit this year.

Plus, the pretty city that was the birthplace of the first king of Portugal that is set to be big this year.

FORGET the Costa del Sol – there is a nearby resort that is cheaper, hotter and has less rain.

Costa de Almería, while not a ‘hidden gem’ per-say, is often overlooked as a holiday destination compared to the popularity of its famous neighbour.

A huge draw is it having a much better climate – with a ‘desert’ coastline due to its proximity to Taberna Desert, the only one of its kind in Europe.

This means a lot less rain too with just 1mm in May compared to the Costa del Sol‘s 15mm, a drop of 93 per cent.

This also means 3,000 hours of sunshine a year which is far more than the UK’s average of 1,350.

Travel experts at First Choice have also found some much cheaper deals too, from as little as £281 for a week’s stay (nearly half the price of a holiday in nearby resorts).

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Dining out is affordable too – the experts say that meals are around €30 (£26), half the price of ones in nearly Marbella.

And pints can be found for €3.50 (£3), especially in Mojacar.

These cheap prices mean you could save up to €455 (£394) on food and drink during a week’s stay.

Kevin Nelson, Managing Director at First Choice, said: “Costa Almería quietly delivers some of the most reliable spring sunshine in mainland Europe, yet it hasn’t caught up in price.

“That gap between weather and cost is what makes it stand out.”

It was even named in easyJet’s Cheap Beach Index last year, coming in third place.

So it’s drier, sunnier and cheaper – making it a no brainer for another holiday.

When it comes to things to do there, there are far fewer high rise hotels so you can enjoy the more traditional towns.

A popular spot is Mojácar – a pretty village that fans of Indiana Jones and Game of Thrones might recognise.

Or it is home to La Isleta del Moro in Almeria, dubbed ‘Little Mykonos‘ for its similar white buildings. 

There is the Cabo de Gata-Nijar Natural Park, a protected area with volcanic geology, hidden coves and huge unspoiled beaches.

Otherwise visit Roquetas de Mar, beachfront town with lots of shops, bars and restaurants.

A unique attraction is Oasys (formerly known as Mini Hollywood) which is found in the Tabernas Desert in Almeria.

Being persuaded to even move there? A Place in The Sun presenter Craig Rowe named it as a great alternative to buy a place abroad on a budget.

He told Sun Travel: “Costa Almería in Spain is really good, especially for anyone on a lower budget.

“It’s not overly developed yet, so the airport links aren’t as strong as what you would get from somewhere on the Costa del Sol.

“But it’s great for someone who would want to buy somewhere and get good bargains that’s authentically Spanish.

“But there are things you have to compromise on – in terms of flying, you have to bear in mind there aren’t that many flights.

“But in years to come there could be, as it’s expanding and very up and coming.”

Here are some other alternative holiday destinations, according to the experts.

And one woman has revealed the lesser-visited Spanish island to go to.

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